An American Catholic university has announced plans to establish a campus in Ireland at the site of a recently closed monastery. Ave Maria University said it will open a campus at Mount Melleray Abbey in County Waterford, bringing undergraduate study programmes to the former Cistercian house near Cappoquin. In a video message published on its website, the Florida-based university described the development as “a fully integrated Ave Maria University experience now embedded in the rich Catholic and cultural heritage of Europe”. He added that, “in partnership with the local bishop and the Cistercian Order, Ave Maria University now continues this legacy of faith and learning. In a statement, the Department said, “The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has not received any communications to date regarding the establishment of Ave Maria University in Ireland.

Source: The Herald February 17, 2026 16:01 UTC